The AN/SLQ-25 Nixie and its variants are towed torpedo decoys used on US and allied

warships A warship or combatant ship is a naval ship that is built and primarily intended for naval warfare. Usually they belong to the armed forces of a state. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and ...

. It consists of a towed decoy device (TB-14A) and a shipboard signal generator. The decoy emits signals to draw a torpedo away from its intended target. The Nixie attempts to defeat a torpedo's passive sonar by emitting simulated ship noise, such as propeller and engine noise, which is more attractive than the ship to the torpedo's sensors. The AN/SLQ-25A Nixie is a clean-sheet design when compared to the AN/SLQ-25 Nixie. Apart from a few minor mechanical components, they share no common parts. The AN/SLQ-25A utilises a fiber optic tow cable (FOTC) and a 10-horsepower RL-272C double drum winch. Several engineering changes resulted in COTS equipment being utilised extensively in the system. A diagnostic program can be initiated locally or from the remote control station, and tests all electronic functions. The AN/SLQ-25B includes equipment of the AN/SLQ-25A and incorporates a towed array sensor to detect submarines and incoming torpedoes. The AN/SLQ-25B also incorporates additional active sonar decoys by receiving, amplifying, and returning "pings" from the torpedo, presenting a larger false target to the torpedo. The AN/SLQ-25C System is an upgrade to the AN/SLQ-25A system. The AN/SLQ-25C incorporates improved surface ship torpedo countermeasures with the addition of new countermeasure modes along a longer, more functional tow cable. Typically, larger ships may have two Nixie systems mounted at the stern of the ship to allow operation singularly or in pairs while smaller ships may have only one system. Under a joint UK/ US Memorandum of understanding, the UK

MoD Mod, MOD or mods may refer to: Places * Modesto City–County Airport, Stanislaus County, California, US Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Mods (band), a Norwegian rock band * M.O.D. (Method of Destruction), a band from New York City, US ...

and the US DoD are furthering torpedo survivability systems. The US is currently working on an Active Source program called the

DCL Technology Demonstrator programme The US DCL (Detection Classification and Localisation) demonstrator program is aimed at proving that an active torpedo detection system is able to resolve a salvo of torpedoes with sufficient time and accuracy that an anti-torpedo torpedo may be ...

and the UK has developed and entered into service the S2170 Surface Ship Torpedo Defence system. An improved torpedo countermeasure system called the AN/SLQ-61 Lightweight Tow (LWT) Torpedo Defense Mission Module (TDMM) is lighter than the AN/SLQ-25 and has a different tow profile, making it more suited for small combatant warships operating in littoral environments. The LWT is a modular, digitally controlled

soft kill A countermeasure is a measure or action taken to counter or offset another one. As a general concept, it implies precision and is any technological or tactical solution or system designed to prevent an undesirable outcome in the process. The fi ...

countermeasure decoy that can defend ships against

wake-homing Wake homing is a torpedo Guidance system, guidance technique based on the Wake (physics), wake trajectory left behind a moving target. The torpedo is fired to cross behind the stern of the target ship, through the wake. As it does so, it uses so ...

acoustic homing Acoustic homing is a system which uses the acoustic signature (sound) of a target to guide a moving object, such as a torpedo. Acoustic homing can be either passive or active in nature. Using passive homing, the system is designed to move either t ...

, and wire-guided torpedoes.U.S. Navy Completes Lightweight Torpedo Defense Mission Module Testing
''Navy Recognition''. 5 May 2018.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:AN SLQ-25 Nixie Sonar decoys Anti-submarine warfare Military electronics of the United States Nixie